La Bamba

"Born into poverty. Destined for stardom. He lived the American dream."

Jul 24 1987 PG-13 1h 48m
Biography, Drama, Music

Los Angeles teenager Ritchie Valens becomes an overnight rock 'n' roll success in 1958, thanks to a love ballad called "Donna" that he wrote for his girlfriend. But as his star rises, Valens has conflicts with his jealous brother, Bob, and becomes haunted by a recurring nightmare of a plane crash just as he begins his first national tour alongside Buddy Holly.

Official Trailer
Plot

This is the true story of Ritchie Valens, a young rock and roll singer who tragically died in a plane crash at age 17. The film follows Ritchie from his days in Pacoima, California where he and his family make a meager living working on farms to his rise as a star. The film also focuses on Ritchie's friendship and rivalry with his older brother Bob Morales and his relationship with Donna Ludwig, his girlfriend.

Written by

Luis Valdez

Directed by

Luis Valdez

Cast

Lou Diamond Phillips, Esai Morales, Rosanna DeSoto

Crew

View crew

Production Countries

United States of America

Production Companies

Columbia Pictures, New Visions Pictures

Languages

English

Awards

3 wins & 3 nominations total

Trailers
LA BAMBA ORIGINAL 1987 COLUMBIA PICTURES TRAILLER MOVIE
LA BAMBA 30th Anniversary Dual Format Trailer
Official Trailer
Scores
# of Votes
37,731
Average Rating
6.9 out of 10
Metascore
65
Popularity
NA